LEARN Is Too Little, Too Late to Save District

* I am a dedicated teacher working with a small staff of 20 under a dynamic principal in an excellent Los Angeles United School District LEARN school.

LEARN is working in our school only because of the above factors. We are working harder than ever to make our wonderful school even better. Parents and the community are also involved and working together to help our school. I have some thoughts re: “LAUSD Can Better Serve Students by Breaking Up” by Adrienne Mack (July 2).

LEARN came about only when the movement to break up LAUSD became a serious possibility. Administrators say LEARN will effectively give local controls to local schools. In reality, it is further limiting our school’s budget with the restrictions and additional costs now being assessed LEARN schools by the district. Our school must rely heavily on fund raising to meet the costs necessary to deliver quality education to our students. A help? Hardly! Autonomy? LAUSD doesn’t know how to let go of any of the power or monies they yield. LEARN is a good idea, but too little and too late.

The teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, defends against the breakup of the district with rhetoric the district could have scripted: proliferation of administrators and increased costs resulting in loss of teachers and larger classes. I am ashamed to continue my membership! The union should be exploring possibilities for betterment in teaching conditions, students’ excellence and smaller class sizes. The only topic I ever hear is salary. I agree. Teachers work harder than most realize and deserve a great salary, but we lose community recognition and support when that is the only message of the union.

I know the best answer is to break up the gigantic district. We pay dearly for the very best administration and we get the worst for our tax dollars. Give the control and the monies to the local schools, probably smaller districts.

Let the teachers, the parents, the community and, most important of all, the students work in optimum circumstances for excellence.

SANDY ENFIELD

Woodland Hills

Enfield is a teacher at Woodland Hills Elementary .